Five Groups Create Initiative To Encourage The Elimination Of Harmful Chemical Inputs To Consumer Products.

Furniture World News Desk on 3/12/2017

Five leaders in a growing movement to encourage the elimination of harmful chemical inputs to consumer products, recently announced that they have come together for an initiative that will encourage the elimination of dangerous substances common in furnishings products. The "What's it made of?" Initiative will launch with a webinar taking place on March 16, 2017 at noon Eastern. The webinar is free and registration is at the Sustainable Furnishings Council website.

As it launches, the Initiative consists of a simple Pledge to ASK, and an online tool to support signatories to the pledge in seeking assurance that their suppliers are fully disclosing information on production inputs. The partners plan to expand their efforts with seminars and training sessions within the industry and with consumer outreach.

David Levine, CEO of the American Sustainable Business Council discussed the "What's it made of?" Initiative at the Sustainable Furnishings Council’s 10th Anniversary Celebration last October, noting that we are at a turning point for business and our economy, with businesses recognizing that they can be financially successful as they also provide social and environmental benefit. He said that transparency about material inputs and operations policy is key to that. Levine joined SFC executive director Susan Inglis in inviting guests to sign a Pledge to ASK, "What's it made of?" Over 300 individuals signed on immediately. The pledge can be signed at the SFC website. It reads:

"As a business leader I am concerned about the health of our world - my employees, customers, communities, and the global environment. I am committed to reducing the use of chemicals that pose harm to human health and the environment. As a first step, I commit to ask my suppliers about the presence of chemicals of concern like flame retardants, fluorinated stain treatments, antimicrobials, vinyl and VOC's including formaldehyde, that may be present in the products that we produce/specify/purchase."

Coming together for this Initiative, SFC, ASBC, CEH, HML, GCI and others are building upon efforts they have been making individually. As a group and individually, the organizations are focused on raising awareness, educating, and providing guidance to consumers as well as within industry. The partnering organizations offer a range of resources useful for consumers as well as for furnishings professionals.

The chemicals of concern most common in furnishings products present well-known problems:

1. Volatile Organic Compounds, including formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen, are used in adhesives, finishes, paint, coatings, and many other products in order to dissolve other chemical constituents. Furniture containing composite wood is particularly prone to being VOC-laden. Many of these organic solvents release vapors that humans inhale and absorb. Some are associated with neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and carcinogenic effects during short-term high level exposure and over prolonged periods of low level exposure.
   
   
2. Flame retardant chemicals as used in residential furniture have not increased fire safety. Instead the flame retardant chemicals have been found to migrate out of furniture products and get into our air, dust and ultimately our bodies. Flame retardant chemicals have been detected in most Americans, with the highest levels found in children. Some flame retardant chemicals have been associated with endocrine disruption and reproductive, neurologic, and immune impairment as well as cancer.
   
   
3. Fluorinated stain treatments, common in upholstered furniture and carpeting, persist in the environment and have been detected in humans and other organisms all over the globe. In humans, some highly fluorinated chemicals have been associated with kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disruption, elevated total cholesterol, and obesity.
   
   
4. Polyvinyl chloride, known as PVC or simply as vinyl, is used in rigid and pliable forms. The rigid form is commonly used in outdoor furniture construction. The more pliable form, created with the addition of phthalates, is used in upholstery fabrics, imitation leather, inflatable products such as stow-away mattresses, etc. The production and combustion of PVC emits dioxins, a potent carcinogen which is linked to impairment of the immune system, the developing nervous system, the endocrine system and reproductive functions, and when it is made pliable with phthalates these dangers are increased.
   
   
5. Antimicrobials may be added to mattresses, finishes, glues and upholstery fabric. These chemicals, such as triclosan and triclocarban, which have been banned recently from soaps and rubs, can be absorbed through the skin and are detected in most Americans. They also persist in the environment. They are a concern because they are associated with adverse endocrine, thyroid, and reproductive changes and their use can lead to resistant strains of bacteria.

Susan Inglis, Sustainable Furnishings Council Executive Director, commented, "SFC is very pleased to launch this initiative with august partners that bring a wealth of expertise to work that clearly supports a healthy future, inside and outside. The Pledge to ASK "What's it made of?" starts the conversation between manufacturers and buyers about dangers currently present and the need to look for solutions. As the initiative evolves, we will be using our strong educational platform to help industry better respond to consumer concern, as well as working to make it easier for consumers to find the products they want. We are confident that the effort will accelerate innovation and improvement throughout our industry. "

"More and more, consumers and businesses want to know what is in products. The big concern is, are they safe? Our polling found that 82% of businesses agree that businesses should be required to share chemical ingredient information all along the supply chain. Transparency is good for business, which is why we and the businesses we represent strongly support the "What’s It Made of" Initiative," says David Levine, CEO, American Sustainable Business Council.

"We’re pleased that manufacturers and other upstream businesses in the furniture supply chain are adopting a disclosure model that will equip them to answer a crucial but surprisingly difficult question: “What’s it made of?” Consumers usually assume that furniture and other products are made from safe materials, but unfortunately that is often not the case. This simple but forward-thinking question creates incentives not only for disclosure but also for choosing materials that keep workers and consumers safe at each point in a product’s life-cycle," says Judy Levin, Pollution Prevention Director, Center for Environmental Health.

“When wellness and health are considered in the design and manufacture of furniture, then homes will be the havens that we know them to be. As designers we consider the full experience. By asking suppliers what ingredients are in products, we are fulfilling the desires of consumers to make the best, healthiest home furnishings products. We admire SFC’s leadership in the home furnishings industry, and we are happy to be part of this initiative advocating for systemic change,” says Jonsara Ruth, Design Director of the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design.

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More about the Sustainable Furnishings Council: Sustainable Furnishings Council is dedicated to promoting healthy environments inside and outside, providing the most comprehensive information on environmental, safety and health issues in the home furnishings industry and championing initiatives that improve products and processes. The SFC and its qualifying members respond to environmental and social issues and offer specific information to consumers, the media and other partners. For more information, visit SustainableFurnishings.org.

More about the American Sustainable Business Council: The American Sustainable Business Council advocates for policy change and informs business owners and the public about the need and opportunities for building a vibrant, sustainable economy. Through its national member network it represents more than 200,000 business owners, executives and investors from a wide range of industries. For more information, visit www.asbcouncil.org.

More about the Center for Environmental Health: The Center for Environmental Health has a 20-year track record of protecting children and families from harmful chemicals in our air, water, food and in dozens of every day products. CEH also works with major industries and leaders in green business to promote healthier alternatives to toxic products and practices. For more information, visit  www.ceh.org.

More about the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design, The New School: The Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design is dedicated to a world in which people’s health is placed at the center of all design decisions. HML is committed to raising awareness about toxics in building products and creates resources for the next generation of designers and architects to design healthier places for all people. For more information, visit healthymaterialslab.org.